


Baby, don't say don't

by tictactoews



Category: Social Network (2010)
Genre: Fix-It, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Reconciliation, Sharing Body Heat, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-08
Updated: 2012-10-08
Packaged: 2017-11-15 21:50:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/532151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tictactoews/pseuds/tictactoews
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-deposition. When a drive home in bad weather goes wrong, Mark is forced to share a motel room with Eduardo for a night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby, don't say don't

**Author's Note:**

  * For [savetomorrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/savetomorrow/gifts).



> To overcome my writer's block, I've asked my tumblr followers to give me tropes and pairings, so I could write short fics and get myself on the roll to finally finish that one WIP I've been procrastinating on for too long.
> 
> These will be short, very trope-y and quite possibly utterly ridiculous. You have been warned.
> 
> The first one is for savetomorrow (lj), who asked for Mark/Eduardo: forced to share a bed. I threw in some bonus huddling for warmth because I couldn't help myself.

_Don't, don't, that's what you say_

_Each time that I hold you this way,_

_When I feel like this and I want to hold you;_

_Baby, don't say don't._

(Elvis Presley) _  
_

In retrospect, Mark can see he's made no less than three mistakes that night.

The first one was believing Dustin when he'd said "Come oooon, Mark, it's my birthday! It won't be that bad, I promise!"

The second mistake was attempting small talk with Eduardo at Dustin's party. What was he even thinking, even if they were still friends nobody would expect this from _him_. He needs to learn to shut up and take advantage of his reputation as Mark Zuckerberg, awkward recluse and asshole extraordinaire.

Maybe he should put it on his next business card. But he's digressing.

That mistake led to the conversation spinning out of control and Eduardo finally snapping at Mark after countless tiny yet hurtful verbal jabs they'd thrown at each other. Mark can't really blame him, even though in the heat of the moment the only things that stopped both of them from storming out were Dustin's cocker spaniel eyes and Chris's best "I'm gonna kill you with my cake fork if you don't behave" expression.

So Mark stayed and tried to be civil, which was all the easier when Eduardo started ignoring him. That led to the third mistake. That, and the weather.

"It's raining buckets out there, guys," Dustin observed as they were about to finally leave. "You sure you don't want to sleep over? Chris is staying."

"Dustin, contrary to what you may believe, I'm no longer a twelve year old girl," Mark said, and he could have sworn he saw Eduardo hide a smirk in the scarf he was tangling around his neck. "And I'm perfectly capable of driving home in any weather."

"Thanks, Dustin, but I'm gonna take off, too," Eduardo said. "I'll just call for a cab."

"Fiiine," Dustin whined. "But next time we're having a sleepover, with Disney movies and chocolate cake!"

"I'll be sure to miss it," Mark said, zipping up his hoodie. It had already been cold outside, even before the rain. It had to be freezing now. Well, as freezing as it can be in California, anyway.

"What? You've got to be kidding me!" Eduardo shouted into his phone, which made Mark, Dustin, and Chris look at him incredulously. Eduardo never yelled at strangers. Only at Mark.

He hung up with a huff. "They won't send a cab for me in this weather. Something about the safety of their drivers. You'd think they could handle a little rain."

"It's really not a problem, Eduardo, you can just--" Chris started, but Mark interrupted him.

"I'll drive you," he said, and got three stares that matched the way they looked at Eduardo a minute before. "What? Your hotel is on the way to my place, it makes sense!"

"Well, yeah, I mean-- I don't-- I-- Okay, yes, that would be great. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Mark said stiffly. "Come on."

And there you go, mistake number three.

He should have remembered that Dustin's house was in the middle of nowhere, and it took quite a drive to go back to Mark's house. However, he couldn't have predicted the police officer that stopped them shortly before they reached Eduardo's hotel, warning lights flashing ahead.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but the road is completely washed out. We need you to turn around, it should be open in the morning."

"Not till morning?" Eduardo exclaimed, and it was the first thing he'd said since they left Dustin's house.

"Yes, sir. There's a motel a few miles back."

"Thank you," Mark said. He turned off the engine, and tried not to panic.

"So I guess we should go back to Dustin's?"

"We can't," Mark replied.

"What do you mean, we can't?" Eduardo asked, and Mark could already sense the anger in his voice.

"We're almost out of gas. I have enough to drive home but not to go back all the way, and I didn't see a gas station anywhere before. Sorry."

Eduardo glared at him, and then let out a sigh. Mark squeezed the steering wheel. It was excruciating enough to be in a car with regular Eduardo. Pissed off Eduardo was a whole new level of hell. Mark braced himself for another fight, when Eduardo slumped into the passenger seat.

"Do you think we could at least reach that motel?"

Mark exhaled. "Yeah, sure."

Fucking weather.

That's how they got where they are now: in the only motel room that was available, and included a tiny table, two wooden chairs, and one kingsize bed.

Eduardo went out ten minutes ago, saying he was going to find a diner or anything, and get them some food. He refused Mark's half-hearted offer to accompany him, much to Mark's relief. It now gives Mark a bit of time to think.

Except he doesn't know what to do with this situation. Should he talk to Eduardo? Or just ignore him so they can eat their impromptu dinner - or more like an after midnight snack - in tense silence, and then go to sleep? And sleep where, for that matter? There's only one bed, and sharing it would be an epically bad idea. Firstly, because it would remind Mark too much of their late nights at Kirkland, when Eduardo would pass out on Mark's bed after hours of studying, and Mark would later pass out basically on top of him, too delirious from sleep deprivation to think of an alternative. And secondly, because Eduardo would bite his head off.

He doesn't have time to ponder this for very long, because Eduardo is back with food, soaking wet and looking exactly like he did the night Mark forgot to pick him up from the airport.

For a moment, Mark can't breathe.

They eat their burgers in silence, and it's not before they're done that Mark notices how badly Eduardo is shivering.

"You're cold," he states, and Eduardo rolls his eyes.

"It's not exactly beach weather out there."

"You'll catch pneumonia."

"And what do you care?"

"I-- Wardo, don't be an idiot," Mark says, almost pleading.

"And what do you propose I do, Mark? I don't exactly have a spare set of clothes here," Eduardo clearly wants to sound bitchy, but his efforts are belied by a sneeze that makes his eyes water and his body shiver even more violently.

"Right, that's it," Mark says. "Out of the clothes and into the bed."

"What?"

"I won't have you freeze to death, Wardo!"

To Mark's endless surprise, Eduardo doesn't protest anymore, and takes off everything but his boxers. Mark can see goosebumps on his skin as he's hanging his clothes on the chairs to dry.

Mark unzips his hoodie and hands it to Eduardo. "Put this on and get under the covers."

Eduardo hesitates. "Won't you be cold?"

"I'm dry, and besides, you're talking to a guy who wears flip-flops in the snow."

That time it's a real smile on Eduardo's face, and he accepts the hoodie.

"Thank you," Eduardo says, and gets under the flimsy covers dressed in Mark's hoodie.

And he's still shivering.

It only takes a second for Mark to make up his mind, and then he's in bed with Eduardo, wrapping his arms around him.

Eduardo freezes. Well, more than he was before.

"Mark?" he says cautiously. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you warm. Come on, Eduardo, you're smart, I don't have to explain to you how sharing body heat works. And I was going to sleep here anyway, seeing as we only have one bed and my only other option is to sleep on the floor. Unless you want me to, but--"

"No, don't be ridiculous," Eduardo says, and relaxes a little in Mark's embrace. "I just never thought you'd-- but it's fine, it's good."

"Look, I-- I know this doesn't change anything, okay? I know you hate me and you're right to do so, but it doesn't mean you can't take advantage of my body heat. It's an emergency, I won't hold that against you."

"Mark, stop babbling," Eduardo says, bringing up his arm and squeezing Mark's side, which in turn makes Mark shiver. Oh the irony. "That's not what I meant," Eduardo adds.

"What did you mean, then?" Mark asks, lowering his voice. Being in bed with Eduardo, _cuddling_ with him, for all intents and purposes, in a dark room, feels strangely intimate. Almost like they could be okay, if they pretended hard enough.

"You surprised me. But I should have known."

"Wardo, you have to talk in a way I'd actually understand. Unless you're delirious from hypothermia, in which case you get a pass."

Eduardo snorts into Mark's collarbone, his breath hot against Mark's skin. "The Mark I knew before -- he wouldn't offer a ride to anyone unless asked first, repeatedly. He wouldn't apologize for forgetting to get more gas in time. And he sure as hell wouldn't notice me being cold unless I turned into a block of ice and knocked his laptop off his desk while doing so. My point is, you've changed."

Mark doesn't really know what to say. Eduardo's shivers seem to be subsiding, though, so Mark starts slowly rubbing his back through the fabric of Mark's hoodie, trying to get him warmed up completely. Eduardo makes a sleepy noise and snuggles closer, wrapping his arm properly around Mark.

"I missed you," he murmurs right into Mark's ear.

"The old me?" Mark asks, because he's Mark, before he mentally kicks himself. "I mean, uh-- me too. Missed you, that is."

"You're still you. Only now I think things can... be fixed, maybe. In time."

Mark closes his eyes and squeezes Eduardo a bit tighter. If he doesn't blow it, this might be his chance.

"I'm sorry," he whispers. "We can have this conversation properly some time when your health doesn't depend on being pressed up against me, but you should know that much for now. I'm so fucking sorry, Wardo."

Eduardo looks up at him for the first time that night, eyes shining in the glow of the street lights outside. He studies Mark's face for a few second and apparently likes whatever he sees there, because then he's leaning in and kissing Mark, lightly and gently.

"We'll talk tomorrow," Eduardo says, and it sounds like a promise. "Thank you."

FIN


End file.
